Earlier this week, the New York Jets declared Jason Sanders the winner of their kicking competition.
However, Sanders’ showing during Friday night’s preseason finale was far from ideal. He missed his lone extra point attempt while also leaving his only field goal attempt short from 54 yards.
Speaking to reporters following the game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn was asked about the missed kicks from Sanders.
“I didn’t like that we missed these field goals, but we’re not going to panic,” he responded.
Glenn added that Sanders has been good for the team throughout the summer, but they will bring in competition if necessary.
Sanders’ solid resume in the league (84.6% field goal percentage in 116 games) does not disappear solely because of his showing on Friday night, but his recent struggles cannot be overlooked. During the week of practice ahead of Friday’s game, Sanders had a day where he made two of five kicks.
Missing an extra point is inexcusable, while it’s also a little troubling that he didn’t have enough leg on a 54-yard field goal attempt. That’s noteworthy, as Sanders missed the entire 2025 season with a hip injury.
If the Jets look to add a kicker on cutdown day, which is Sunday, the team should have no shortage of options. Several teams have ongoing kicking competitions, such as the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and the Giants.
Whether it’s Sanders or someone else as the Jets’ Week 1 kicker, the situation sheds light on one of New York’s biggest offseason mistakes, which was letting Nick Folk walk in free agency.
Consistency at kicker is crucial, and as Jets fans have witnessed firsthand, it could single-handedly cost teams games.
The Jets need to figure this out before they lose a game because of it.
